Amplitudes is the plural of amplitude, referring to the magnitude or extent of something (such as a wave, signal, or phenomenon). In technical contexts, it denotes the greatest distance from a central value, often tied to energy or intensity. The word is primarily used in science, engineering, and mathematics, where precise quantification of strength or size matters.
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- You’ll often insert an extra vowel between the /m/ and /pl/ (e.g., ‘am-uh-plitudes’). Tip: rehearse the /mpl/ cluster in tight sequence by saying ‘em-PLIT’ quickly then blend vowels only after the /pl/ release. - Final /dz/ can be devoiced in rapid speech, producing /-tuz/ or /-ts/. Tip: practice with a voiced pause-proof /dz/ by saying ‘tudez’ clearly, keeping voice on the z. - Stress misplacement or reduced duration on the first syllable. Tip: tap or clap the first syllable to reinforce primary stress and then carry rhythm through the rest. - Vowel quality in the second syllable can drift toward /ɪ/ or /ə/. Tip: maintain clear /ɪ/ in /plɪ/ to avoid it becoming a schwa.
- US: emphasize rhotics; most speakers pronounce /æm.plɪˈtuːdz/ with a bright /uː/ and a clear /dz/ at the end. - UK: clearer /ɪ/ in the second syllable and may be a slightly shorter final /dz/; keep non-rhoticity comfortable and avoid adding extra vowels after /dz/. - AU: can show a slight /tj/ onset before /uːdz/ in some speakers: /ˈæm.plɪ.tjuːdz/. Maintain the /dz/ and avoid replacing it with /z/ or /s/. IPA notes: /ˈæm.plɪˌtuːdz/ (US), /ˈæm.plɪ.tjuːdz/ (AU) and /ˈæm.plɪ.tjuːdz/ or /ˈæm.plɪˌtjuːdz/ (UK). - General tip: keep tip of tongue close to alveolar ridge for /t/ and /d/; after /t/ release, avoid tensing. - Rhotic vs non-rhotic differences impact the preceding syllable’s vowel color; in rhotic accents, the r can influence preceding vowel quality, though amplitudes ends with /dz/ not /z/.
"The amplitudes of the seismic waves varied across the stations."
"Researchers measured the amplitudes of the electrical signals to calibrate the detector."
"In Fourier analysis, amplitudes correspond to the strengths of individual frequency components."
"The loudspeaker is tuned so that the input voltage directly maps to the output amplitudes."
Amplitude comes from Latin amplitude, from amplere ‘to enlarge, to fill out,’ from am-plus ‘full’ (related to ambi- ‘both’ and plere ‘to fill’). The English form amplitude appeared in the late 17th century, originally in geometry or physics to describe the magnitude of an object’s extent. By the 19th century, with the advent of wave theory and signal processing, amplitude became standard in physics to denote the maximum displacement of a periodic wave. The plural amplitudes arises simply from adding -es to form the third-person or plural in English and to reflect multiple measurements or components in a dataset. First known uses are documented in early scientific treatises where wave phenomena and later Fourier analysis framed the concept of amplitude as a measure of loudness or height of waves. Today, amplitudes are fundamental in disciplines such as acoustics, optics, seismology, and electrical engineering, where precise amplitude values inform system response, data interpretation, and quality control.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "amplitudes" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "amplitudes" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "amplitudes"
-des sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæm.plɪ.tuːdz/ in US and UK, with the primary stress on the first syllable: AM-pli-tudes. The final sound is /dz/, a voiced alveolar stop + s. Start with /æ/ as in ‘cat,’ move to /m/ then /pl/ cluster, then a light /ɪ/ or /ɪ/ before /t/, and finish with /uː/ before /dz/. For Australian speakers, the ending tends toward /-tjuːdz/ in many dialects, but still keeps /dz/ voicing. You can listen to native references on Pronounce or Forvo to hear regional nuances.” ,
Common errors include misplacing the stress (say- AM-pli-tudes rather than AM-pli-tudes), flattening the /tuː/ into a quick /tu/ or a schwa, and mispronouncing the final /dz/ as an unvoiced /s/ or /z/. To correct: keep the strong /ˈæm/ on the first syllable, ensure the middle syllable is a clean /ˌplɪ/ or /ˈplɪ/ with a light, quick /l/; and finish with a clear /tuːdz/ where the /dz/ is a voiced pair rather than trailing vowel. Practice by saying AM-pli-tudes in slow, then normal pace, emphasizing the final voiced consonant.” ,
In US/UK, the first syllable carries primary stress: /ˈæm.plɪ.tuːdz/. US vowels tend to be flattened in some dialects; UK RP often uses a crisp /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a more rounded /uː/ in the final. Australian speech maintains /ˈæm.plɪ.tjuːdz/ with a slight /tj/ onset before /uːdz/ depending on speaker. The key cross-dialect note is the ending /-tuːdz/ (British) vs /-tjuːdz/ (some Australian) and ensuring the final /dz/ is voiced. Listen to region-specific pronunciations on Pronounce to capture subtle rhotics or vowel shifts.” ,
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable structure with a consonant cluster in the middle (/mpl/), the unstressed /ɪ/ before a tense /t/, and the final voiced /dz/ cluster which can blend with a following vowel in rapid speech. You’ll hear a quick transition from /ˈæm/ to /plɪ/ and need to keep the /t/ separate from the /dz/. Practice by isolating the mid syllable and practicing the suffix /-tuːdz/ distinctly. Focus on voicing a clean final /dz/ to avoid a voiceless /s/.” ,
A distinctive feature is the two hard consonants in the middle /mpl/ that require a smooth, uninterrupted airflow from the /m/ into the /p/ then /l/ without adding an extraneous vowel. This can cause a slight epenthesis for some speakers. Keep the mouth closed enough to maintain the /m/ then release into /pl/ quickly, and then glide into the /ɪ/ before the /tuːdz/. It’s the cadence and the final /dz/ that seal the pronunciation.
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- Shadowing: listen to 3 native readings of ‘amplitudes’ and shadow at 1.5x speed, then normal. Emphasize the /mpl/ cluster and final /dz/. - Minimal pairs: compare amplitudes with amplitude (singular) and amplitude-something else: /ˈæm.plɪˌtuːdz/ vs /ˈæm.plɪˌtuːm/? (Note: create realistic pairs: amplitudes vs amplitude; amplitudes vs amplitude's; amplitudes vs amplifiers) to practice suffix clarity. - Rhythm practice: mark syllables as L-H-L-L (stress pattern) and practice with a metronome at 60-90 BPM; practice 4-beat phrase: “the amplitudes of the signal” with steady 1-2-3-4 counts. - Stress practice: place primary stress on the first syllable; ensure secondary stress on the third syllable if needed in longer phrases. - Recording: record yourself reading technical sentences about amplitudes; compare to a reference pronunciation from Pronounce or Forvo; adjust the /dz/ final to be clearly voiced.
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